


One sentence to the world

by VNVdarkangel



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: F/F, Friendship/Love, Love Confessions, Slice of Life, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:07:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22482289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VNVdarkangel/pseuds/VNVdarkangel
Summary: Ayase Eli, first year, finds yet another envelope in her locker, but this one is different.
Relationships: Ayase Eli/Toujou Nozomi
Comments: 18
Kudos: 75





	1. Chapter 1

Ayase Eli, first year at Otonokizaka High School, stood in front of her shoe locker with a sense of dread. The match she surreptitiously placed between the door and the upper frame was gone, indicating that someone had opened it, probably placing something inside.

As it was a girl’s high school, it could mean two things, either someone had maliciously messed with her footwear, something that was extremely unlikely, or it was a love letter, something that was more likely.

The tall blonde with the blue eyes held fascination for most of the other girls. She was an oddity. Something they had only read about or seen on television or in movies until they met Eli. Their interest being only in her physically, she had dismissed them out of hand, not interested to be a trophy to parade around. She had her pride. Unfortunately, this had stirred rumours that she was elitist and vain, not caring to socialize with the _common_ people. She of course heard about it. It hurt. But she didn’t change her ways. She used the hurt instead to fuel her quiet fire for knowledge, for achieving something special for herself and to keep a promise she had made.

Then Toujo Nozomi had entered her life. Her classmate, that she’d barely noticed since she was so quiet, had approached her, out of breath after running after her. She had recognized something in Eli she understood all to well herself. Being lonely, accepting it, but hating it. Nozomi had introduced herself, asked for her name, asked about her likes and thoughts. She had wanted to know Ayase Eli, not the tall, half-russian blonde with the blue eyes. They had spent time together, going to cafés, talking, studying. They had become friends. Eli’s first at Otonokizaka. Now they worked together to become the new student council and that was important to Eli.

Resigned, Eli opened the locker door and, as expected, an envelope was neatly placed on top of her street shoes. It was pink, as expected. It was closed with a heart sticker, as expected. It smelled of perfume, as expected. And it har her name on it, as expected. But that’s where the similarities ended. Or… maybe not the similarities, but it highlighted the ways in how it was different.

For starters, the perfume she smelled, was familiar to her, even very familiar, and only one girl she knew used it. Then the sticker was in the shape of a heart, but on the heart was another sticker in the style of a playing- or tarot card. Lastly there was the name. Usually is said things like _Ayase-san_ or _Eli-san_ , who even used that last one without permission, but the name spelled out in roman letters was _Elicchi_.

 _Nozomi_.

No one else called her that. And no one else would be allowed to. It was… special. A nickname Nozomi had come up with, since Eli-chan was too boring and Elishka was difficult for her to say correctly.

_Elicchi._

The first time she’d received a letter, she hadn’t known what to do or think about it. She had read it, gone to the appointed place and let the poor girl down easy. She wasn’t interested, she was busy, she had strict parents, any excuse that would let them down easy was acceptable, but never a yes for there had never been the want to say that.

Eli continued to stare at the letter, casting quick glances to the left and right of her if anyone was watching. Satisfied, the grabbed the letter, stuffed in her bag and, after finding an empty classroom and locking herself inside, she gently opened it and sat down at one of the tables.

Where sometimes there were reams of verse, quotes from famous works or a personal story, here, there was only one sentence. Eli turned the paper around and checked. Nothing. Just one sentence.

_Please come to the tree with the benches around it, I have something important I need to ask you._

Eli read the sentence again and then stood up and left the classroom.

* * *

Nozomi sat, eyes closed, on a rounded bench that went all around a large tree. Located between the clubroom building and the main class building, it did get a fair amount of traffic, but now, with school out and all the clubs running their activities, it was probably the most secluded place on the entire school.

She knew before she heard it that someone was coming. And that someone was Ayase Eli. Thinking about why she’d called Eli here, made Nozomi’s heart beat just a little bit faster. She knew that things could, potentially, get very awkward, but even if she was wrong it would mend and things would go back how they were. She’d be sad, but only by herself, never showing it. She was pretty good at that by now.

Eli’s steps were… measured if Nozomi had to put a label on them, Eli was keeping all options open, leaving no avenue closed so far. The steps came closer, till they stopped. Nozomi didn’t move. She felt the bench shift slightly as if another person had sat down. She opened her eyes and in the corner of her eye saw Eli leaning backwards against the trunk.

“It’s nice now with the breeze isn’t it?”, Eli made conversation.

“Mm, just a few more weeks and sitting out here will be less comfortable.”, Nozomi replied.

There was a small pause.

Nozomi felt her hands beginning to sweat, she was losing her composure.

“So.. what did you want to ask me?”, Eli asked, voice trying to remain neutral.

“What indeed…”, Nozomi replied and gently stood up and turned towards Eli.

Eli looked up into Nozomi’s emerald eyes, her worry lifting.

“Elicchi, would you consider going out with me?”


	2. My turn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eli visits Nozomi's place for the first time. It's a few months since they started going out.

Ayase Eli stood outside Nozomi’s apartment door. It had been a few months since she’d said _yes_ on the bench at Otonokizaka. Time, and life, had moved with a brighter colour since then but she felt a bit uncomfortable as she stood outside of the apartment. Nozomi had told her that it was alright and only she would be home, but still…

 _You’re being stupid Elishka_ , she thought, _this is normal. Now ring the bell._

Even before she finished the thought her fingers had already reached out and touched the doorbell. She head a _come in_ , from inside, pressed down the handle, opened the door and stepped inside.

“Sorry for the intrusion.”, she said, half expecting someone else than Nozomi to greet her.

“Welcome Elicchi.”, a casually dressed Nozomi greeted her, “just come in. It’s only us.”

“What about your…”, Eli began.

“On a business trip. They probably won’t be back in Japan before we’re seniors.”, Nozomi answered the unfinished question.

“So you… live here… all by yourself?”, Eli concluded, astonished.

“Mm”, Nozomi nodded, “Would you like to have some tea?”

“That would be lovely. Not that warm outside.”, Eli started to hang up her jacket and found some house slippers. Looked like they had never been used.

She followed Nozomi from the hallway into the small living area, it looked spartan, like out of a furniture catalogue, functional, but a display none the less. One door trailed off to the left into another room.

“Looks… nice”, was all Eli could say as she sat down at a small table.

“You don’t have to be so careful Elicchi”, Nozomi said, her back turned as she prepared the tea, “Haven’t I earned your honest words by now?”

“You know it’s not that. It just feels like, well, you don’t live here, like you’re a guest.”

The kettle boiled and Nozomi filled the cups and turned over the timer. She turned so she could see Eli.

“Aren’t we all? Just guests I mean.”

“Nozomi, I…”

“I know what you’re trying to say. What you don’t want to ask.”, Nozomi interjected.

Eli looked down into the table, trying to find the words.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”, she finally said, “I could have come here more often.”

“Would it have changed anything?”, Nozomi served up the cups.

Eli thought for a moment while she took a sip from the tea.

“Delicious!”, she smiled, “Maybe not, but I would have liked to know, you know. To be able to do something. Anything really.”

“Now I’m curious… do tell.”

“Well, I…”

* * *

As afternoon moved into evening and chairs gave way to a sofa, the two girls kept talking, about Nozomi’s work as a shrine maiden, about ballet, about school, about anything. The subjects blended together in a symphony of words, keeping them away from the worlds so that they didn’t notice the light outside fading and rain picking up outside.

“Oh, would you look at that?”, Nozomi suddenly said in the midst of conversation, pointing to the large balcony windows.

Streaks of liquid ran down the surface, winds leaving behind tracks.

“Yeah, it’s quite late. I should head home. Do you have an umbrella I could borrow?”

“Sure.”

“Thanks”, said Eli and started to get up, only to be stopped by Nozomi’s hand holding her sleeve.

Eli looked at her, there was an almost begging look in Nozomi’s eyes, like she wanted to ask for something very selfish.

“Eli… you could stay over…”, Nozomi’s voice was low, soft and full of warmth.

“I…”, Eli began to respond.

“Please.”, Nozomi pleaded, her eyes having a slight mist to them.

 _She really wants this but is afraid I’ll turn her down. Just as afraid as she was then._ , Eli thought.

“… can ask at home if it’s ok.”, Eli smiled, taking out her phone with her free hand.

“Ok”, Nozomi responded smiling, letting go of Eli’s arm.

Eli took a few steps into the apartment and waited for the call to connect.

“Alisa? It’s me, can you put mama on?... Hi… Yes, I’m ok. Can I stay over at Nozomi’s?... We forgot about the time… no, but I’m sure I can borrow something… yes, I’ll leave the phone on… I will. Thanks mama. пока́”

Eli turned around:

“It’s fine. Do you have anything I could borrow?”

“It might be a bit large for you but sure.”, Nozomi stood up.

“Let’s make dinner. I should have enough for us both.”

* * *

As perpetration of a meal, eating it and conversation went on, time also moved. Finally Nozomi came to a conclusion.

“Elicchi… thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being here, for the conversation, and for saying yes.”

“How could I have said no?”

Nozomi smirked.

“How indeed?”

Eli picked up a small pillow from the sofa and threw it at her.

“I can’t believe you sometimes.”

“You better do. Shall we turn in? You can have the bath first. There is also some toiletries and an extra toothbrush in the mirror cabinet. I’ll get the bed set-up”

“You sure? I could help you…”

“It’s fine. Please.”

“Ok.” Eli replied and walked towards the bathroom.

* * *

The nightshirt felt like a tent. A short tent. Nozomi wasn’t as tall as Eli, but har more bust so the shirt would naturally feel a bit wide. Eli looked down at herself in the unfamiliar garb and shrugged. Well it was only for tonight.

They’d talked some more when they’d had their baths, but now tiredness was creeping up. Night had fallen too. Nozomi stood at the entrance to the room, Eli looking at the books in the bookshelf next to it, being careful not to stand on the futon Nozomi had laid out.

“Let’s head to bed.”, Nozomi said, flipping the light switch.

Darkness enveloped them.

Nozomi heard a small shriek and suddenly felt herself embraced, in an almost uncomfortable, hard way. Her free arm automatically moved to return the embrace, though lighter.

“Please don’t let go of me.”, said a small voice, located somewhere around her belly.

“Elicchi?”, Nozomi was confused.

The embrace tightened.

“Are you… afraid of the dark?”

A slight whimper was the only response she received. She turned on the lights again.

Eli was holding on to Nozomi, eyes pressed closed. Even though Nozomi wanted to savour the feeling of closeness, she didn’t want her friend to suffer.

“It’s alright, I turned the lights back on.”, blue eyes carefully opened, “I’ll get a light that we can have in here so you can see, ok?”

Eli nodded and slowly stood up, releasing Nozomi, who became acutely aware of the absence. As Eli turned back towards the futon, Nozomi reached out to her, hand gently holding on to the blonde’s hand.

“Nozomi?”

“Could we… do that some more?”

“What?”, Eli looked perplexed.

“Hugging, like… really hugging. It was nice. I mean… if you want…”

Eli blushed a deep red. She had felt safe. It had been… nice.

“Sure…but... don’t turn the lights off ok?”, Eli mumbled.

Nozomi nodded, let go and opened her arms. Eli turned and walked into the embrace, her own arms closing around her girlfriend. The embrace filled them both with warmth they’d never felt before, the innocent handholding and occasional brush against each other they had previously engaged in had produced, what they only could describe as sparks but this… this was something on a whole different level.

They just stood there, eyes closed, unwilling to break the bond they had created, savouring every sensation until the mutual need to rest came and they detached. They looked at each other, faces red and smiled. As if by a common agreement they both slowly lowered they heard until their foreheads rested against each other, a mutual sigh of relief and joy escaping their lungs.

* * *

The light in the corner illuminated just enough so that Eli could see in the night. After their first embrace there had been many more, but eventually, sleepiness won out and they said their good nights and went to their respective beds.

Eli didn’t know if she had slept minutes or hours, she didn’t care. She sat with her knees on the soft futon and looked at the sleeping face of Nozomi. She mustered all her control not to reach out to touch her.

The face was so… peaceful, very unlike the face she’d sometimes seen when Nozomi had dozed off in the library after a long study session. The features, the lines were all so perfect.

“Elicchi.”

Nozomi was talking in her sleep. Eli felt the same tug inside her as she’d felt when Nozomi had asked her out, when she’d asked her over and when they had hugged. It broke her control. She leant slowly forward, her hand caressing Nozomi’s cheek, until she was just a breath away. Then, their lips joined.

It felt unbelievably soft and warm. Like a slightly moist, warm part of heaven. She lingered for a moment, then leant back looking at Nozomi, now with eyes wide open.

She’d been caught, but before she could say anything a finger pressed lightly against her lips.

“Took you long enough.”, Nozomi said with a smirk.

Eli was dumbfounded… had Nozomi been awake all this time?

Nozomi leant towards Eli, her eyes misty from moisture.

“My turn.”, she said and closed the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just closing out what happened in the previous chapter. Maybe I will continue with some NozoEli stuff... should I? There is a whole mythos to write about.
> 
> An comments and/or suggestions for improvements or themes are always appreciated.


	3. First valentines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eli & Nozomi's first valentines

Toujo Nozomi, first year at Otonokizaka Girl’s High School and girlfriend of Ayase Eli, stood in her kitchen with a sense of accomplishment. She’d done it. She’d done special, one-of-a-kind, valentine’s chocolates. The shapes had come our perfectly and had set without as much as a bubble forming as they cooled.

 _A little more time so they set completely, and they should be perfect for Eli_ , she thought.

Just the thought of catching Eli blushing at the gesture the next day made her giddy. It was going to be a good day.

* * *

Ayase Eli, first year at Otonokizaka Girl’s High School and girlfriend to Toujo Nozomi, stood in her family’s kitchen and cursed. Even with her little sister’s help, the chocolate-making had been a disaster. It was eatable sure, but the shapes had come out all wrong, the surface had burst bubbles and she’d probably cooled them wrong for white dots covered the surface of some pieces of confectionary.

 _Can I even present these? They’ll be unique sure… but really?_ , she thought as her mother came into the kitchen, surveying the aftermath.

Eli turned to her mother wearing an expression of despair.

“It’s ruined.”, Eli had a hard time to keep her voice steady, “And there isn’t enough time to start over…”

She bit her lip, trying to stop her emotions from swelling over.

“Elishika dear… it will be ok. Nozomi-chan will love it, she’ll know how much time and effort her girlfriend put into them.”

Eli looked at her mother, stunned. Nozomi? She hadn’t told her… But how? Did she…?

“Mama? How… when…”, Eli was at a loss for words.

Eli’s mother smiled.

“I see the way you look at each other, how excited you get when you talk about her and… when you quickly kiss her before she comes in to visit. You’re not as stealthy as you think.”, she said with a wink.

“You’re not disappointed? That it’s not a guy?”

“I’m not. But there are two things I have to ask. As a mother.”

Eli nodded. She could see Alisa poking her head into the kitchen behind their mother.

“Does she make you happy?”

“Yes.”

“Do you love her?”

“Love?”, Eli thought hard, what did she feel? There was only one answer:

“Yes, very much.”

“Good. That’s all I needed to know.”

Alisa jumped into the kitchen.

“Onee-chan… you have a… girlfriend? Is… is that ok? I mean… she’s a girl…”, she looked at her mother and Eli.

“Alisochka.”, she bent down, “Love is always ok. Remember that. Boy or girl, it doesn’t matter. Love is important and it is always ok.”

“Ok, mama.”, Alisa said happily, “And Nozomi is really nice. She always has those awesome cards with her.”

Their mother stood up again.

“That she is Alisochka… She’ll love them Elishika. Don’t worry.”, she gently patted her daughters.

Eli began to smile again.

* * *

Ayase Eli, first year at Otonokizaka Girl’s High School, stood in front of her shoe locker with a renewed sense of dread. She had long since stopped having a match on the door to see if it had been opened, but today she had a good reason to feel this way. It was valentine’s day.

With her relationship with Nozomi more or less known to the school, the amount of confession letters had diminished to maybe a forgotten one per fortnight, most often she would be confessed to and the person would thank her for listening and walk away. Eli wasn’t sure how she felt about that. It was… odd.

But, since giving chocolates to the person you fancied was a bit of a thing in Japan, something she had a hard time getting used to, she feared that her locker would be overflowing with honmei-choco. Eli carefully opened her locker.

And sure, there were small boxes in the compartment, but they were neatly stacked to the side, with a small pink envelope resting on her shoes. Even without opening it she knew instinctively what it said and who it was from.

She took out the envelope, smelled Nozomi’s perfume and opened it, the other boxes in the locker forgotten.

The letter read:

_Elicchi, please come to the tree with the benches around it, I have something important I need to tell you._

Eli smiled, opened her bag to see the meticulously packed box she had put in it, close the bag and the locker and went to the back yard, humming a happy tune.

* * *

Nozomi sat, eyes closed, on the rounded bench that went all around the large tree. As many opted for the more private areas now that valentine’s was around but all still passed by, some in hushed tones, some in fury, but none, even the third-years interfered now that Nozomi was sitting here.

Nozomi heard nothing of the traffic around her, her ears listening for the steps of her companion. When at long last, she heard the step she was waiting for, nervousness again made itself known. She had to tell Eli something important, something she didn’t want to keep to herself anymore.

The steps came closer, stopped and Nozomi felt the bench shift slightly as Eli sat down. Just like so many times before. Nozomi opened her eyes and in the corner of her eye saw Eli leaning backwards against the trunk, head turned, looking at her.

“Why do you always put such a air of finality when you leave me letters?”, Eli asked.

“Why indeed? Would it satisfy you to hear that the cards told me to?”, Nozomi mused.

“It would be like you, so yes.”, Eli said.

“But before you say anything, I wanted to give you this.”, she reached into her bag, took out the box of her _special_ chocolates and offered it to Nozomi, “for you. Non-tan.”

Nozomi felt warm from Eli using the special name for her. She knew how much of a potential disaster Eli was in the kitchen, but that she’d even attempted made her feel very special.

“Thank you, Elichika.”

“Nozomi… you…”, Eli fumbled after words.

“It’s difficult, but not impossible, I’ve been practicing.”, Nozomi grinned, “And this…”, she took out a small box from under the bench, “is for you. Don’t read the note yet though.”

“Oh?”, Eli looked at the small folded note, “Why?”

“Humour me. Promise now.”

“Fine, I promise.”

“Now…”, Eli continued, turning her eyes towards the sky, “what did you want to tell me?”

“Well…please stand up.”

Eli stood up, looking at Nozomi, who took her hands.

“What I wanted to tell you… is… is…”, Nozomi hesitated.

Eli could feel Nozomi’s hands squeezing hers.

“I wanted to tell you that… I’m in love with you.”, Nozomi almost shouted the last words just to get them out.

Eli looked at her, unable to move, her thoughts trying desperately to process what she had just heard. She’d known it of course, they were girlfriends, they went on dates, held hands, kissed and sometimes even shared a bed and woke up in each other’s arms, blushing wildly, but this… this was different. It felt _different_. _Important_.

“That’s… that’s all I wanted to say”, Nozomi tried to keep calm and smile, Eli could feel Nozomi’s hands shaking, but as Nozomi started to pull them back, Eli gripped them, unwilling to let go.

“Eli?”

“You’re impossible… you make me want to hide in embarrassment and run around in joy at the same time. You’re… amazing.”

“Elicchi?”, Nozomi didn’t know how to react.

“And I have something to tell you too.”, Eli pulled and Nozomi fell forward, landing in Eli’s open arms, hugging her tightly.

Eli lent slightly forward and whispered into Nozomi’s ear:

“Love you too, Non-tan. Happy valentines.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting this out one day early as I don't know if I will be able to post tomorrow.
> 
> I wish all, single or in any kind of relationship, a wonderful day.

**Author's Note:**

> just a quick one to reset my brain from the Psycho-Pass AU. I have more material on this, but we'll see if I make it more than this, in a way, it's just right.
> 
> Also, I have no idea how this fits in canon, apart from that they met in their first year and became friends.


End file.
